The Problem with Winterfell
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:52 pm
I'm not a Sansa or Sophie Turner hater, (I like Sansa way more on the show than I ever have in the books due to Turner's portrayal), but I do think that D&D favor the actress to the point where they have positioned her more prominently than perhaps the character should be. And that is why I think we could be having the problem that we are in the Winterfell storyline. Sansa, I don't think is the most compelling character, nor is she one of the overall main favorites for the general audience. Despite this, Sansa is the FOCAL point in Winterfell. I don't think she should be. Positioning her as the lead--and only lead--of Winterfell and that which everything revolves around was a mistake, in my opinion.
EVERYONE else is reacting to Sansa. EVERYTHING is revolving around Sansa. So everything that we are seeing, hearing, feeling is through Sansa, is because of Sansa, is about Sansa. It started last season by getting Sansa's reunion with Jon (which was fabulous) and was not something I had even the slightest issue with. However, it then continued this season by making the next Stark reunion... again with Bran... about Sansa, through Sansa's eyes. And then Arya was reunited with Sansa first. And Arya's reunion with Bran was after the fact. Sansa had the main reunion just as she had with Jon, and then Bran, and then Arya. And the reunions were about Sansa, from Sansa's point of view. Sansa was the focal point.
Everything going on in Winterfell is ABOUT SANSA. Sansa is such a great leader. Littlefinger's machinations are all about Sansa at this point. Bran's entire story--oh, wait, Bran doesn't have one. Arya's entire storyline is about Sansa. It's all about, oh, Arya is being so mean to Sansa. Arya is not talking to Sansa. Arya doesn't know what she's going through, and what she has gone through. And this is true! Because that is how the story is being positioned. Arya is viewing EVERYTHING through a Sansa-lens. There is no Arya-based arc that allows for viewers to feel for her, to get that she's doing this, she's like this because of what she's gone through. Again, everything is through a Sansa-lens. Even that fantastic Arya-Brienne fight scene, as soon as it finished... what did we get? Sansa's point of view. It wasn't for Arya. It was for Sansa (and Littlefinger who is all about... wait for it! Sansa) that the scene was mostly done, not for Arya.
Even the scene with Bran and Arya was barely about Bran and Arya, but rather Sansa reacting to the news that Arya was indeed a killer with a list. Yes, we got Arya getting the dagger... which Sansa reacted to. The thrust of the scene was for Sansa's sake. Other than the Bran/Meera, and the Bran/Littlefinger scenes (and the latter tied into the Littlefinger/Sansa storyline), everything at Winterfell since Jon left--including every single Arya scene--has been about or relating to Sansa. And even the Jon scenes mostly revolved around Sansa.
I'm not saying that Sansa shouldn't be important, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't be seeing her story arc play out as well because we definitely should, but having her be the sole focal point and the only reason for Arya and, at this point (well, with only one episode left, it might as well be), Bran to even have a story is ridiculous. In the books--yes, I'm going there--Arya and Bran are bigger, more important characters than Sansa. Yet, in the show, they are barely supporting characters this season because D&D seemingly can't let go of their obsession to have Turner front-and-center at every opportunity. And that's really a shame because instead of giving her (as well as Maisie Williams and Isaac Hempstead-Wright) a chance to truly shine in a great story that highlights all THREE Starks (and actors--one of whom is already Emmy-nominated), they've given Turner the lead in a clunky, illogical, disappointing story where the Starks are dark and dim.
EVERYONE else is reacting to Sansa. EVERYTHING is revolving around Sansa. So everything that we are seeing, hearing, feeling is through Sansa, is because of Sansa, is about Sansa. It started last season by getting Sansa's reunion with Jon (which was fabulous) and was not something I had even the slightest issue with. However, it then continued this season by making the next Stark reunion... again with Bran... about Sansa, through Sansa's eyes. And then Arya was reunited with Sansa first. And Arya's reunion with Bran was after the fact. Sansa had the main reunion just as she had with Jon, and then Bran, and then Arya. And the reunions were about Sansa, from Sansa's point of view. Sansa was the focal point.
Everything going on in Winterfell is ABOUT SANSA. Sansa is such a great leader. Littlefinger's machinations are all about Sansa at this point. Bran's entire story--oh, wait, Bran doesn't have one. Arya's entire storyline is about Sansa. It's all about, oh, Arya is being so mean to Sansa. Arya is not talking to Sansa. Arya doesn't know what she's going through, and what she has gone through. And this is true! Because that is how the story is being positioned. Arya is viewing EVERYTHING through a Sansa-lens. There is no Arya-based arc that allows for viewers to feel for her, to get that she's doing this, she's like this because of what she's gone through. Again, everything is through a Sansa-lens. Even that fantastic Arya-Brienne fight scene, as soon as it finished... what did we get? Sansa's point of view. It wasn't for Arya. It was for Sansa (and Littlefinger who is all about... wait for it! Sansa) that the scene was mostly done, not for Arya.
Even the scene with Bran and Arya was barely about Bran and Arya, but rather Sansa reacting to the news that Arya was indeed a killer with a list. Yes, we got Arya getting the dagger... which Sansa reacted to. The thrust of the scene was for Sansa's sake. Other than the Bran/Meera, and the Bran/Littlefinger scenes (and the latter tied into the Littlefinger/Sansa storyline), everything at Winterfell since Jon left--including every single Arya scene--has been about or relating to Sansa. And even the Jon scenes mostly revolved around Sansa.
I'm not saying that Sansa shouldn't be important, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't be seeing her story arc play out as well because we definitely should, but having her be the sole focal point and the only reason for Arya and, at this point (well, with only one episode left, it might as well be), Bran to even have a story is ridiculous. In the books--yes, I'm going there--Arya and Bran are bigger, more important characters than Sansa. Yet, in the show, they are barely supporting characters this season because D&D seemingly can't let go of their obsession to have Turner front-and-center at every opportunity. And that's really a shame because instead of giving her (as well as Maisie Williams and Isaac Hempstead-Wright) a chance to truly shine in a great story that highlights all THREE Starks (and actors--one of whom is already Emmy-nominated), they've given Turner the lead in a clunky, illogical, disappointing story where the Starks are dark and dim.